༄°.🍂.ೃ

The space behind the Durga temple felt wrong at this hour.

The lamps near the entrance glowed faintly, but this side lay swallowed in shadows.

The gates of the temple were closed for some reason.

Somewhere, a stray dog barked.

Piyali stood near one of the stone pillars, fingers clutching the edge of her dupatta. Her heartbeat felt too loud, like it might give her away.

Every few seconds, her eyes darted toward the narrow path leading back to the road.

Kittu stood a few steps away.

Close enough to see.

Too far to hear.

The man spoke softly to her-too softly. His posture relaxed, his movements familiar, like this wasn't his first time standing here with a girl.

Piyali swallowed.

"Kab khatam hogi inki baatein..." she muttered under her breath, frustration and fear mixing together.

[When will they finish talking?]

"Kiski baatein?"

[Whose talks?]

Her blood turned cold.

Piyali froze where she stood. She didn't turn.

"Kiske saath?"

[With whom?]

Her palms grew damp. A thin line of sweat ran down her spine.

Okhon ei manush ta amaake mere phelbe...

(This man will kill me today.)

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second.

"Puch raha hoon kuch, piyali."

[Iam asking you something, piyali.]

There was no anger in his voice. That scared her more than shouting ever could.

She turned slowly and froze on her spot. Not raising her eyes up.

Samar stood there. His hands rested loosely, almost carelessly in his pockets, he had been standing there for a while - long enough to understand everything that was happening before him.

His face gave nothing away. No anger. No shock.

Just a stillness that was far more frightening than any outburst.

He looked like he had already pieced together the whole story.

For a moment, his eyes went to Kittu.

There was disappointment there, quiet and heavy. the kind that hurt more than scolding ever could.

Then his gaze shifted to the man standing beside her.

From a distance, they still hadn’t noticed him.

They were too busy in their own little bubble, unaware that the storm had already arrived.

Samar’s eyes returned to Piyali.

Something softened for just a second. It was not relief, not even anger but a kind of tired understanding. As if he already knew what she had been dragged into.

He stepped forward, moving past her without looking back because if he looked at her for even a moment longer, his control might slip.

“Gadi mein baitho.”

[Go sit in the car.]

Piyali reacted before she could think. The moment she saw Samar move past her, something inside her panicked and her fingers closed around his wrist, stopping him.

It was desperate as if she was trying to hold back not just him, but whatever she felt was about to happen next.

“Zyada mat daato na usse…” she whispered, her voice trembling.

[Don’t scold her too much please.]

Samar slowly turned his head toward her. The calmness on his face was unsettling. There was no visible anger, no irritation- only a blank stare, she felt as if she was looking into a wall. Nothing could get through.

“Toh tumhe daatu?” he asked quietly.

[Should I scold you then?]

Then he paused, his voice dropping lower, more dangerous, as though he was forcing himself to stay in control.

“Chup chaap gaadi mein baitho...fhir se nahi bolunga”

[Get in the car and sit quietly. I won't repeat it again.]

Piyali swallowed. She could feel he was furious but he was holding it back for her sake, and that restraint scared her more.

Slowly, she nodded, unable to say anything more. Her fingers loosened from his wrist, and she stepped back.

Without another word, she turned toward the car.

The man felt it before it happened.

A hand suddenly fisted into the back of his collar, yanking him away from Kittu so hard that he stumbled several steps forward.

By the time he realized what was happening, he was already being dragged far from her, leaving her standing behind at a safe, shocked distance.

Samar twisted him around and slammed him onto the ground.

The man’s eyes darted toward the narrow path leading out of the village. For a split second, panic overtook him and then he ran. Or at least, he tried to.

He knew exactly who Samar was.

And he knew that once Samar set his sights on you, there was no escaping him in this village. That man was calm, controlled, respected… and terrifying when angered.

He barely managed a few steps.

Samar moved fast, but not recklessly. One powerful kick struck his back, knocking the breath out of him.

The man stumbled forward, choking, and crashed face-first onto the ground. Before he could even push himself up, a brutal punch came down on the back of his head.

Everything went still.

The man lay there, unconscious and blood zoning out from his mouth and head.

Kittu stood frozen, her hands clamped over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

She had never seen her brother like this. Samar had always made sure of that. He had never let her see this side of him before but today, he wanted her to.

This was a warning.

This was a glimpse of what he was capable of if anything like this ever happened again.

“Bhai… please” Kittu cried, her voice shaking as she rushed forward. “Chaliye na…”

[Brother please...let's go.]

She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him away, her fingers trembling. But Samar didn’t look at her. His gaze was still fixed on the unconscious man on the ground, cold and unyielding.

When he finally turned, the look in his eyes was enough to make her feel the weight of all her guilt at once.

They had talked about this long ago. He had told her that if she ever liked someone. if anything like that ever happened, the first person she should tell was him. He had never tried to control her.

He had only wanted to protect her, to make sure she didn’t walk blindly into something dangerous.

The world wasn’t as gentle as it looked.

And a man calling a girl to a lonely place like this was something Samar would never, ever accept.

And kittu had gone against him.

He exhaled slowly, turning his face away as if to steady himself.

Then he took Kittu’s hand firmly and started walking toward the car.

Behind them, Ajay was already moving. As soon as Samar reached the car, Ajay went to the unconscious man, hauled him up, and threw him into the other vehicle Samar had brought.

There were two cars.

Ajay drove off quietly with Piyali and Kittu in the back seat, the silence inside was heavy and suffocating.

They didn't say a word and sat quietly.

Samar got into the second car and drove away with the unconscious man.

The house felt strangely quiet when they returned, as if it, too, was holding its breath.

Kittu sat on the edge of her bed with her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Her dupatta lay crumpled on the floor, forgotten.

Her eyes were swollen and red, unfocused, like a child who had only now realized how close she had come to something truly dangerous.

Her father had already scolded her for going out late with a friend. It had been sharp, strict, and enough to make her cry all over again.

When they came back, Ajay had lied about everything, just as Samar had told him to. He had brushed it off as a harmless outing, nothing worth worrying about.

That lie only made the guilt heavier. Even after everything, her brother was still protecting her. Kittu knew what would have happened if her parents or even the neighbors had found out the truth.

The thought made her feel sick.

Her mother sat beside her, gently wiping her tears, whispering soft words that didn’t quite reach her heart.

The door creaked open.

Samar stepped inside the house quietly. From the small window outside Kittu’s room, he watched for a few moments as their mother wiped her tears and tried to soothe her.

He didn’t go in.

After a while, he turned away and went to his own room to freshen up.

When he came out, it was already late.

Kittu was standing at his door, holding his dinner plate in trembling hands.

He moved past her and went to bed without looking at her.

She placed the plate down quietly and was about to sit on the floor beside him, as she always did when she was scared or ashamed, but before she could, Samar caught her by the arms and pulled her up.

“Pagal ho gayi hai?” he said sharply, making her sit on the bed.

[Have you gone mad?]

Her control broke. “Mujhe maaf kardo na bhai… main aisa kabhi nahi karungi” she sobbed, looking up at him, desperate.

[Please forgive me, I will never do this again.]

Samar stood still, staring at her for a long moment.

“Tu jaanti hai woh kaun tha?” he asked.

[Do you know who he was?]

Kittu shook her head, eyes lowered. She only knew he worked in a store. That was all.

“Uska naam?” he pressed.

[His name?]

Again, she shook her head. In all the excitement, she didn't even realised she never asked for his name.

“Woh kya karta hai?”

[What does he do?]

“Kirane ki dukaan…” she whispered.

[He works in a grocery store -]

“Ganja bechta hai wo” he cut in flatly.

Her eyes widened in shock.

[He sells ganja.]

“Paanch baar jail ja chuka hai” he continued, his voice empty of emotion. “Roz ek nayi ladki ke saath ghoomta hai sala.”

[He’s already been to jail five times.]

[That jerk goes around with a different girl every day.]

Each word felt like a blow.

Kittu looked down, shivering. She hadn’t even liked him that much, just a foolish attraction but now the reality of what could have happened wrapped around her like a nightmare.

The room fell silent.

Samar crouched down in front of her, so they were at the same level.

“Maarta main tujhe?” he asked quietly.

[Would I have beat you?]

“N-nahi” she whispered.

[N-no]

“Daantta?”

[Scold you?]

She shook her head.

“Phir?”

[Then?]

He looked straight at her.

“Main tera pehla bharosa hoon. Kaha tha na maine- agar koi pasand aaye, agar kuch bhi ho, tu mujhe bolegi. Jo karna hai, mujhse bol. Koi karne de ya na de, main karwaunga. Maa-baba se ladunga… lekin tujhse niraash nahi hone dunga.”

[I am your first trust. I told you, didn’t I. If you ever like someone, if anything at all happens, you will tell me. Whatever you want to do, you will tell me. Whether others allow it or not, I will make it happen for you. I will even fight Mom and Dad… but I will never let you be disappointed.]

His voice broke for just a second.

“Aur agar nirash karta bhi hoon, toh uske peeche koi wajah hoti hai.....Hoti hai na?”

[And even if I disappoint you, there’s always a reason behind it… there is, right?]

Then, for the first time, his restraint slipped just a little as he spoke in a loud tone.

“Ki pagal hain bhai? Jab mann kare haan bol dega, jab mann kare na bol dega? Sunta hoon na teri? Phir kyun nahi bataya mujhe? Agar tujhe kuch ho jaata toh kya karta main, bata?”

[Or Do you think I’m crazy - that I say yes whenever I feel like it and no whenever I feel like it? Don’t I listen to you? Then why didn’t you tell me? If something had happened to you, what would I have done...tell me?]

He turned his face away, unable to even imagine it as he stood up.

Kittu finally looked up. “Kabhi aisa nahi karungi, bhai… main darr gayi thi. Aapki kasam khati hoon, kabhi nahi karungi. Hamesha bataungi.”

She hugged him tightly, crying into his chest.

Slowly, Samar’s body relaxed. The anger drained away, leaving only exhaustion and fear. He held her for a moment, then gently wiped her tears.

“Bas. Rona band kar” he murmured. “Itna roegi toh maa-baba ko aur shaq ho jaayega. Is baare mein aur kuch nahi sunna mujhe.”

She nodded, hugging him once more before quietly leaving the room, her heart still heavy but no longer drowning.

Samar closed the door behind her carefully. He signed as he finally lays on his bed.

His anger and disappointment hadn’t completely faded; it lingered somewhere beneath the surface, quiet but heavy.

Yet, in the end, she was his sister. He couldn’t bear to watch her suffer under the weight of her own guilt for long.

Still, one thing was certain, he would make sure something like this never happened again.

No matter how harsh, how strict, or how much of a “bad brother” he might seem.

The reason he hadn’t told their parents was. He knew Kittu, for all her cheerfulness and energy, wouldn’t have been able to handle the way things could have spiraled.

So he took it all upon himself-dealt with their parents, the neighbors, the man who had caused the problem, and Kittu herself.

The only person left was Piyali.

He would teach her too, in his own way.

Samar closed his eyes slowly, letting out a deep breath, the tension in his body easing just a little as he slept.

The house had returned to its usual routine but something essential was missing.

Morning sunlight still filtered into the courtyard. As maa rang the bell for prayer. Meals were cooked and eaten at the same time, in the same place.

And yet, for Piyali, everything felt unfamiliar. Samar no longer looked at her the way he used to. Earlier, even in silence, his presence had been steady, something she could rely on without asking.

Now, his silence was just heavy.

When he entered a room, he didn’t instinctively look for her.

When she spoke to him,  he replied but never more than necessary.

When their paths crossed, his eyes slid past her as if she were just another corner of the house. No anger. No confrontation.

Just distance. she realized it painfully hurt far more than fury.

The first time it truly hit her was in the morning. She placed a cup of chai near him, careful not to touch him.

“Chai thandi ho jaayegi” she said quietly.

[The tea will get cold.]

Samar murmured a low, “Hmm” without lifting his eyes from the newspaper. No smile. Not even acknowledged.

She lingered for a moment, hoping for some warmth from him but there was none. Her chest tightened as she walked away.

In the evenings, she would step into the courtyard just as he was there, only to watch him rise silently and walk away.

She tried to talk to him, not once, but many times. Every attempt died before it could begin.

One afternoon, she caught him near the well.

“Suniye.”

[Listen.]

He didn't pause, hands still on the rope. “Haan?”

[Yes?]

“Mujhe aapse baat karni thi.”

[I wanted to talk to you.]

“Baad mein.” after a pause.

[Later.]

Later never came.

“Suniye na, woh jo us din..”

[Please, that day…]

“Piyali.”

His tone wasn’t harsh, just firm.

“Abhi nahi.”

[Not now.]

Each rejection wasn’t loud, but it pushed her further away. Her apology lodged in her throat, growing heavier by the day.

She hadn’t just lied to him; she had made a choice that wasn’t hers to make, dragging his trust into danger. She saw it now and hated herself for realizing it too late.

At night, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying every second behind the temple. Every lie. Every moment she could have stopped things before they spiraled.

She had not only scared him. she had shaken his belief that he could protect the people he cared about. And she knew that hurt him more than anything else.

It all came to a breaking point one quiet evening. Samar was in the storeroom, arranging grain sacks, movements precise, almost aggressive in their restraint.

Piyali stood at the door, gathering courage.

“Aap baat kyu nahi kar rahe hamse....” she whispered.

[Why don't you talk to me...]

He didn’t turn.

“Maine kaha na-”

[I told you-]

Her voice broke mid-sentence. “Bas ek baar sun lijiye.”  she pleads.

[lease… just listen once.]

He stopped. Slowly, he turned.

“Kya sunna hai, Piyali?”

[What is it you want me to hear?]

“Main maanti hoon… maine galat kiya." She whispered.

[I was wrong… I did something wrong.]

He looked away. That broke her completely. Tears spilled before she could stop them. Her shoulders shook as weeks of guilt, fear, and helplessness poured out at once.

“Main ye bhi jaanti hoon aap bohat gussa ho” she cried.

[I also know you’re very angry.]

“Par aap aise chup rehkar… mujhe dekhkar bhi nahi bolte… acha nahi lagta hame… itna gussa toh aap Kittu se bhi nahi hai jitna mujhse hai.”

[But this silence… this ignoring me… I can’t bear it… you’re more angrier with me than you are with Kittu.]

Samar’s jaw clenched. He could handle anger but He could not handle her tears.

In two steps, he closed the distance. His arms came around her instinctively, pulling her against his chest. Still hurt but incapable of letting her break alone.

He whispered into her ear

“Kittu behen hai meri, shayad dar rahi hogi kehne se… tum toh nahi darti na mujhse? Tumhe kis baat ka dar tha jo tumne mujhse ye baat chupayi? Mujhse jhooth kaha? Uska saath diya jaankar bhi ki wo galat hai? Hm? Tum mujhse aakar keh sakti thi na?”

[Kittu is my sister, maybe she was scared to tell me… but you aren’t scared of me, are you? What were you afraid of that made you hide this from me? You lied to me? Supported her even knowing she was wrong? Huh? You could have come to me and told me, couldn’t you?]

She clutched his kurta, crying harder, as though everything she had held back had finally been given permission to fall.

“Main dobara kabhi aisa nahi karungi" she sobbed.

[I will never do this again.]

"Main aapse kuch nahi chhupaungi.”

[I will never hide anything from you.]

“Mujhse naraz mat rahiye na”

[Please Don't stay upset with me anymore.]

He held her tighter, slowly lifting her dupatta and wiping her face, brushing away tears with careful fingers tenderly.

“Chup” he murmured.

(Enough.)

His voice was still rough, softer than before. He rested his forehead against hers, exhaling deeply as he holds both her cheeks with his palms.

“Tum samajhti nahi ho, Piyali” he said quietly.

[You don’t understand.]

"Agar tum dono ko kuch bhi hojata toh...”

[If something had happened that day… to Kittu or you…]

He stopped, pulled her closer.

“Aaj ke baad kabhi aisa mat karna, warna mujhse bura koi nahi hoga tumhare liye.”

[Don’t ever put yourself in danger like that again.]

She nodded against him.

He stayed, holding her until her sobs faded into shaky breaths.

Piyali continued gluing herself against his chest, her tears soaking into his kurta as if they had been waiting for permission all these days.

Samar murmured softly, running a steady hand over her back as he holds her closer every second.

The days of silence, of being ignored, of feeling invisible to the one person whose regard mattered most, had piled up inside her like unspoken grief.

“Piyu” he said gently, guiding her toward the small old bed in the storeroom. She stood between his knees and forehead against his shoulder. He held her hands between his.

“Tum kisi aur ke faisle ka bojh apne upar nahi logi par but you also won't support or involve yourself in it” he said.

[You will not carry the weight of someone else’s decision.]

He wiped her dry tears with his hands

“Kittu ki galti thi aur tumhari zimmedari thi ki tum usse roko.”

[It was Kittu’s mistake and it was your responsibility to handle her.]

Her breathing began to slow, though tears still slipped down silently.

“Main janta hu wo bohat ziddi hain, shayad tumhari baat nahi maan rahi hogi Isliye tumhara farz sirf itna tha ki jab kuch galat lage, mujhe batao...main thodi tumhe daatunga”

[I know she is very stubborn That’s why your only duty was to tell me whenever something felt wrong.I won't scold you, right?]

He squeezed her hands gently.

“Chalo ab chup hojao”

[Now keep quiet.]

“Aur rona nahi hai ”

[No more crying.]

She nodded immediately, her face now looking like a baby who cried a lot.

“Main kasam se sab batadungi” she whispered innocently and determined.

[I

swear I will tell you everything now.]

He pulled her closer, her forehead now resting against his neck.

“Yaha mujhe manana chaiye aur main tum dono ko mana raha hoon."  His voice low but teasing.

[I’m the one who should be angry here and instead I’m the one calming both of you.]

Piyali whined against him, snuggling closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

And for the first time in days, Piyali felt like she could breathe again.

༄°.🍂.ೃ